Winsted-Lester Prairie Journal, Sept. 20, 1999

LP looks to the future for its school

Two weeks ago, the Lester Prairie School Board passed a
resolution authorizing an excess levy referendum option on the ballot Nov.
2.

The board raised the levy $415 pupil units, the highest
amount the state will equalize.

The tax impact on a property would vary, depending on the
value of the property, but School Board Chairman Gene Starke added that
with general education credits from the state, taxes will be reduced somewhat
next year.

Supt. James Redfield observed that the referendum is just
another step in the planning history of the school. Even before he came
to the district in 1996, work was being done internally with the staff
to consider future plans for the district.

Later, Doug Thomas of the Center for School Change was
brought in to include the public in the planning process. Back then, some
subjects discussed included growth toward the golf course to the north,
partnering with Holy Trinity, and possibly expanding the school's library.

Redfield said that, besides setting up some goals, "We
we're also trying to get community involvement. It was a real goal to get
more community members to think about the community of Lester Prairie as
well as the school district."

Starke added, "And back then, we were getting the
same amount of turnout of people as we are getting now. That isn't a whole
lot of community people."

While Professor Prudence Gushwa of the Minnesota State
University ­ Mankato, who led a series of community meetings recently
for the district, observed that the 70-plus people who turned out for the
meetings was very significant, both Starke and Redfield feel the right mix
hasn't appeared at the meeting.

The rural elements of the district are of concern. Redfield
pulled out a map and showed Lester Prairie's boundaries. The district is
small, with Lester Prairie being the only town within its borders.

Still, Starke observed that doesn't mean the district has
many farmers. He said that his old school district of Nicollet had much
more. As the district is small, so is its rural area.

Both men conclude that it is important to get the information
concerning the referendum out to everybody.

Starke noted that farmers are a group who have been able
in the past to convince others not to vote for something. He said that such
activity resulted when the school built its last addition to the facility
about 10 years ago. In part, Starke and Redfield concur that it isn't difficult
to see why farmers might hesitate on spending more tax dollars as they are
steeped in a thick agricultural crisis.

Another reason to get the word out is because it is hard
to predict what voters will do. While the turnout to the last series of
meetings was significant and generally positive for the school, how the
majority will vote is still unknown.

Starke recalled that voter turnout was very large, about
92 percent, for the election in which the district bonded for the building.

Both men agree that the comments they have heard from the
public individually have been generally positive, but knowing which way
things will go is uncertain.

Voters who are against the referendum may simply not attend
joint meetings, preferring to cast their opinion on the matter in the privacy
of a voting booth.

With six weeks before the election, you won't see either
of these gentleman selling the issue, however. There are rules that the
board and administration cannot use district funds to run a vote-yes campaign.

Starke pointed out, "The school and the administration
is not going to sell (the excess levy referendum). We can't sell it. If
we try to, they're going to vote it down."

That responsibility, he believes, is on community members
to convince others.

Gushwa also saw the importance of the role for motivated
community members to convince others, and, as such, the board has formed
a committee of three citizens to fulfill that role.

With that in mind, the school board still has its own
reasons for adding the referendum to the ballot.

As one of the smallest districts in the state, in the lower
5 percent, Lester Prairie is also one of the few without an excess levy
referendum. It is one of the few districts not taking advantage of the state's
offer to equalize that money.

Both men also noted that bills and salaries are on the
rise, and the district has no desire to enter into deficit spending.

Lastly, both feel that keeping up with neighboring districts
is important, especially in technology, to providing a quality education.

A levy is not like a bond and voters may have some difficulty
realizing the tangible benefits of authorizing the levy. After all, there
will be no shiny new building to behold once the process is done.

Both men insist that the school has done well with its
programs and that the additional money is needed to both sustain and enhance
those areas.

Starke said, "You can see it out there with the number
of doctors, lawyers ­ people who have written books ­ that have
graduated in the last 20 years from this school district. To keep that going,
we do need this excess levy."

Technology will be part of where the money goes. But recent
budget meetings have also indicated that money will be used to meet rising
costs. In that regard, the school board hopes voters don't think the excess
levy referendum will only go towards salaries.

Redfield observed that the district must offer somewhat
competitive salaries to attract and retain good teachers. This need might
be difficult to explain to voters. He asked, "How do you explain that
you need money to operate at a good level?"

So what might happen if the referendum does not pass?

Starke simply said "cuts," a word he neither
likes to say or think about. However, those cuts would have to be made
as painlessly as possible.

Redfield said the district would retrench as it has in
the past. He notes that the district has been very efficient with the use
of its resources, such as with the Honeywell project that will save the
school dollars in the long run through energy efficiency.

Redfield believes a concept of a community school put forth
by Gushwa is a valuable description of Lester Prairie. He said, "I
think we have a community school and we'd like to keep it."